The NLP Phobia cure is similar to a number of submodality interventions, but is one of the more complex ones.

Firstly, think of the item that you are afraid of, and notice your internal representation.

If this is a phobia, then you would expect to be running a very fast movie in your mind.

For instance, if you have a phobia of spiders, you may imagine a spider running across the carpet towards you.

If you have a phobia of flying, you may imagine being on a plane as it falls out of the sky.

Once you are aware of the representation, take the movie shrink it down and, run through it in black and white, so that you can discover what the very last image in the sequence is.

Now take this image in black and white, and in your mind place it on a cinema screen in your mind, seeing the image from your own point of view, as if you were an audience member in an empty cinema.

Now from that point, float up out of your body so that you are in the projection booth.

Now you are watching yourself, watching the final frame in the movie.

Now as quickly as possible, run the movie backwards from the final frame to the beginning frame, watching the whole event going backwards.

(.i.e., in the spider example, the spider would go backwards away from you).

Once you have done this, return the screen to the final image (without running the movie forward), and reverse it fast again.

Do this several times. It should become easier and quicker with each attempt.

Once you find this effortless, you may wish to test your work by thinking of whatever used to scare you and see how it makes you feel.

Comments

Previous comments

Annoying NLP Practitioners with phobias

I've heard it mentioned that to a good way to annoy an NLP practitioner is to ask them to help you fix a phobia where the phobia is of seeing yourself, because it means you can't use the NLP phobia cure.

Nick, Glasgow

Posted May 14, 2010 at 08:35

I wish I knew!

Come on, does anyone know the answer? How do you fix a phobia without the NLP Phobia cure?

Chris Harrison, UK

Posted May 28, 2010 at 04:23

annoying NLP practitioners with phobias

Maybe they could get you to visualize another object or image that 'represents' you but is not actually an exact image of yourself that you are afraid of. By using a representation of yourself when using the NLP Phobia cure rather than an exact image this should alleviate the need for seeing yourself literally.

Just a thought...!

j ray

Posted November 9, 2010 at 05:15

NLP Phobia Cure

I personally find this technique difficult. The whole visualization ... I find it difficult to hold on to. I seen several therapists and two of them used this technique and I still have my phobia.

Craig, Norfolk

Posted November 4, 2011 at 08:17

You have my Sympathies

It's unfortunate that you have seen two people and neither of them could help you. Did they test their work? Some NLP practitioners charge by the result. Unfortunately I don't know your area very well so can't recommend anyone to help you. You may find that if you practice some other visualization based NLP techniques such as the submodalities
, timelines
and the NLP memory manipulation
lessons, your ability to hold on to the required visualization will improve.

Chris Harrison, UK

Posted November 4, 2011 at 20:51

Doomsday Phobia Cure

If you have a fear of doomsdays, will this technique work?

Saran Karunan

Posted November 6, 2011 at 01:32

Doesn't sound like a phobia to me

Saran, I can't think of a single senario that would trigger a doomsday phobia as what could happen to you during your life that could set it off? So this sounds more like a fear than a phobia to me. You could try using a NLP swish pattern
or whiteout technique
. Of course there is no harm it trying the NLP phobia cure too.

Chris Harrison, UK

Posted November 6, 2011 at 11:07

how do you know if it's a phobia or just a fear

How do you know if it s a phobia or just fear, im an artist and im struggling with performance anxiety, my mental image would b everybody staring at me, me feeling embarras,physically feeling like any slight movement i do is magnified and being criticised/judged, what exercise do you recommend and can i still try the phobia cure?. . thank you